December 10th, 2014

By Tim

The day started with a trip to my doctor.  Had to have blood work done before my appointment next Monday.  I guess the most exciting thing about that trip was that they had to poke me twice because my vein "rolled." Otherwise, I was in and out fairly quickly.

Last night I was determined to try to make Julekake, but didn't really have a recipe.  So, I searched online and found something that seemed close to what we enjoyed in Wisconsin.  It required an overnight rising, so this morning I got up, shaped the loaves, then baked it after my appointment at the doctor's office.  It wasn't bad, but it seemed to fall short my expectations.








Since no one likes the golden raisins but me, I used Craisans.  Maybe that was it!  Next time, I'll used dried apricots and Craisans.



One of David's friends is a homeschooler who is part of Classical Conversations, and his mom invited Anne to bring the David and TJ along on  on a CC field trip to Ashland, the Henry Clay estate in Lexington.  They had a great time!  One of the paintings had a number of symbols of the era.  One was an anvil, but no one knew what it was except for David and TJ.  So, when the guide asked if anyone knew what it was, David answered.  When the guide asked the group what it was used for, David kept silent.  He wanted to say "Looney Tunes Cartoons and Bugs Bunny," but decided that was probably not the answer she was looking for!


Jessie drove me to the library to volunteer today.  She is applying for a job that just came open there.  She also drove us home after church tonight. She's getting her driving hours in, and driving very well!

The boys both had appointments at the orthodontist.  Both opted for Christmas colors but in different arrangements.  Here is Davids, with the green and red alternating on each tooth.













TJ went more for all one color up top and the other color on the bottom:











David is really enjoying playing with his Grandpa Joe's electric train.  He got creative today, trying to figure out how to make it go uphill.

At first, it seemed a disaster.  The train kept rolling off the tracks!  But, eventually, he problem solved until he realized his books stacks made the curve too high.  He got it working great!  We're hoping to buy more track soon so we can make a longer trail in the room!



Another exciting moment for David came when his new bow arrived!!!  We hope to start lessons very soon!

Love,
Tim

December 9th, 2014

Dear Grandma,

Today I didn't take very many pictures, but I got to do a few fun things!
I woke up this morning and it was my turn to clean the kitchen.

I actually cleaned the kitchen last night also, so it wasn't too dirty and I was soon done.
Then I got ready because I was going to go into town with Mom at noon. It was pretty chilly so I wore a white sweater, my jeans, and my new boots. I was planning on going to the movies later, so I took some of the leftover candy from my party and put it into two paper bags.

One for me, one for my friend Carli!
I went to Berea with mom and she dropped me off at the coffee shop. The guy working there suggested some chocolate flavored coffee drink.

It was really good! Then about half an hour after I got there, my friend Carli arrived with her brother Joey, and we talked for a few minutes before their mom came to take us to the movies. When I went to pay for my drink, the employee gave a me college student discount without even asking if I was a college student, so I only had to pay a dollar for it!

Carli's mom dropped Carli & I off at the theatre and we bought tickets to see Mockingjay pt. 1. That's the last book in the Hunger Games series. I couldn't remember if you've read it or not, but it's not particularly my favorite book in the series!
The movie was really good though. It kind of made me like the book better. But they're splitting the movie into two parts, so I have to wait a WHOLE NOTHER YEAR until the next one! This one ended in a really sad cliff hanger, and Carli and I cried quite a lot.

After Dad picked us up at the theatre and dropped Carli off with her mom, I got to drive home! I've been driving a lot. I think I've driven for almost four hours, and one of those were at night! Driving is a lot of fun :)

Then when we got home we ate dinner, and now I'm sitting on the couch writing this!
Hope you're feeling okay today!

Love,
Jessie

December 8, 2014

FROM DAVID

 

Today I HAD NO SCHOOL WOO WOOOO!!! After my partying we all picked out a tree for Christmas!

This is TJ with the Christmas tree, I think its too big for him...

 Then me, TJ, Jessie and daddy put up the Christmas lights!Those aren't all of them but Dad is going to put up more tomorrow.

And this........... drumroll............. IS THE DECORATED CHRISTMAS TREE!!!!! It matches the Christmas lights!

This is Dad with his 1940 train set. I'm scared it's going to burn the house down cause it sparks a lot.

December 4th, 2014

          This morning we left to go to Hershey, Pennsylvania, where we're going to a conference for Foursquare. Of course while Mom and Dad are in meetings, we're playing games with old friends, making new friends, and tomorrow we're going to the Hershey's Chocolate World.

          There was a pretty long trip, especially since we were in our Mazda and not a van, so we were a little cramped, but we're here, and it's been pretty fun! There will be more stuff happening tomorrow, so....

STAY TUNED!

P.S. There are no pictures because we left the SD card at home, so there was no other way to get them onto the computer. OH WELL!

December 3, 2104

From Anne:

I didn't have camera batteries for half the day today, but in the morning we just did our schoolwork as usual. Our afternoon really picked up with activity, so then I was able to get a few pictures!

Here is David with a new Lego set. We went to Kroger after lunch and he brought all that change and wanted to spend it on a $50 set. I found a cashier who was a young guy who looked like he might have saved up his change to buy a lego set when he was a kid. He was very nice and helped David count out all his change. Turns out he got a holiday bonus discount so the set was only $21!

He put it together in no time! (But I made him pack his bags first, we are going on another trip). 

Jessie was out driving with Tim today so I didn't get any pictures of her. She practiced driving on the highway and then drove to the library for her volunteer job. After the library she babysat all afternoon, so she wasn't home. We picked her up at 6:15 just before we had to go to church. 

In the meantime, TJ took all afternoon to pack, as he usually does. He takes his time and organizes everything. But still forgets some stuff. Here he is putting the finishing touches on his bag.

While TJ is still packing, me and David (not Bill) make jambalaya for supper. We have to bring some to the church for Jessie and Tim.

We had a congregational meeting at church to let them know about the plans for our sabbatical, which we may not take if we are right in the middle of a church move. I didn't get the food to the church in time for Tim to eat before the meeting, so here he is eating in his office afterwards, while the kids talk to their friends downstairs.

We had both cars at the church, so Jessie drove one home! She almost hit a possum on the road on the way back, but she slowed down and let him waddle across like a good Kentucky girl.

Tonight: last-minute packing for Tim and Jessie, and then we'll be on the road tomorrow around 8 a.m.!

December 2nd, 2014

From Tim

Today has been rather uneventful.  Jessie was able to be home all day since she is now on Winter Break from Classical Conversations.  David and TJ still did their regular school work, wishing that the rain that fell all day long today would have been snow :)

David and Anne had to go feed the Crispin Family’s pet rabbits this afternoon.  One of David's best friends is Isaiah Crispin and overtime he goes to visit, he gets to hold the rabbits.  He's been enjoying feeding them this week.

Anne’s small group Bible study that meets each Tuesday had their final meeting tonight, so I had to come home from work early to bake a turkey breast and make chicken and dumplings.  

 I was excited because I got to use my new pots and pans from Costco!  We bought them yesterday.  The Kirkland Signature 13-piece 18/10 stainless steel cookery set.

Anne can't believe they're so shiny.  I'm sure that will fade with time, but they sure look fancy!

Here is the aftermath of the meeting tonight:

Mommy and TJ on the couch.....

Dad looks shell-shocked!  Jessie is happy and David is delirious!

We are preparing to drive to our denomination's district conference on Thursday in Hershey, PA.  We'll be leaving early Thursday morning and should get back to Berea late on Saturday.  It won't be as nice a trip as going to Wisconsin last week.  It's a quick trip....and will be cozy in our little Mazda!  Hoping there's no snow!!!


Love, Tim

November 21, 2014

This morning i got a haircut.. i didn't want it that short.

 

Then daddy took jessie to get her drivers permit!

These are the decorations for Jessie's sweet sixteen party! 

i got too blow up all the balloons! 

we had TONS of candy...

These are all the props for the photo booth...

they are really crazy

I got a stomachache after eating all of that candy.

And there was even more candy than that....

And that was Jessie and Katie's birthday cake!  

It even matches the decorations! 

And i got to put on all the props!

see what i mean by crazy?

Daddy got to make the punch!

with sherbet, raspberrys, ginger ale and raspberry lemonade. 

Then everybody danced to "cha cha slide", "cupid shuffle", etc.

And the festival dancers teacher came so all the festival dancers that were invited got to dance to some of the dances that they do

After all the dances, Jessie and Katie got to cut the cake! 

Then they all danced to"don't stop believing" 

Then Jessie and Katie got to open presents!

And so the party ended. and there was no more squealing and screaming ever again....